Crocs will move on

Tragically, kids are suffering foot injuries while wearing Crocs as they get on escalators. This, of course, happens on the mainland. In Hawaii, where most people wear slippers (flip flops) everywhere, it's not a problem. Maybe it's being accustomed to them, knowing almost by instinct how to walk with them on ramps, stairs ... escalators.

I hope parents become more alert up on the mainland and have their children take off their Crocs sandals before getting on escalators. Better safe than sorry. As for CROX the stock, this will come to pass. The products in themselves do not kill or injure anyone, no more than a fly swatter can blind you, no more than a banana peel can kill you when you slip on its peel.

Chiquita is still in operation after all these years. I think Crocs will be around for quite some time.

The negative, coast-to-coast news about the escalator problem has driven the stock down to 55 while the rest of the market has soared into the stratosphere following the Fed rate cuts. CROX is the only stock among my A and A- grade picks that is even close to its 13-day moving average. In fact, CROX is well below the 13-day MA and closing in on its 50-day MA. Great growth stocks don't do this very often. The last ones I saw like this were Blue Nile, Flowserve and Google about one week ago. A buy at that time of any of the three has proven golden for longs. I mustered up enough pre-Fed courage to buy small positions of NILE and RIMM.

Whether Blue Nile can sustain its gains remains to be seen. NILE surged from 75 (two Fridays ago) to 98, matching an all-time high, today. Then came the pullback to 91 before the stock closed at 95. Volatile, yes. And no longer a sensible, technically-sound buy.